Law, culture, and Catholicism...up in smoke!

Monday, August 20, 2007

What Is Replaceable: A Dollar Bill or a Professor?

One of the main arguments made by the pro-Monaghan crowd is that AMSOL cannot survive without Tom Monaghan's money. The pro-Monaghan crowd also argues that law professors are easily replaceable.

This is a very curious position to hold. By its very essence, the dollar is the medium of exchange. It has no value in and of itself. One dollar is just as good as another. The greenback folded in my wallet is completely equivalent to the one lying in Mr. Monaghan's vault. Now I know that a law school needs money to operate, but this money does not have to necessarily come from Mr. Monaghan's pocket. Mr. Monaghan's money can be replaced by money from anywhere.

Are law professors as easily interchangeable as legal tender? First of all, there are a lot fewer law professors in the world than dollar bills. And AMSOL can't just hire any law professor. The law professor has to be willing to teach in line with orthodox Catholicism. That might mean that there are maybe a few dozen available law professors. But no two Catholic law professors are exactly alike. They happen to be individuals, with different educational backgrounds, methods of teaching, and personal characteristics. More importantly, each law professor has a unique soul. No matter how hard you look, you just won't find a second Professor Lyons, I guarantee it.

Professor Lyons is not a pizza! Professor Safranek is not a pizza! Professor Pucillo is not a pizza!